Still Not Here
by Angel Leviathan
Summary: PGSM. Spoilers for the Special Act. 'I always wanted you to live as Minako, but not just as 'Aino Minako: Superstar'.'


Title: Still Not Here

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: Anything, everything, Special Act.

Setting: Just after the Special Act ends.

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.

Notes: Random, but I had to get some of the lines out of my head. Despite the Silver Crystal being 'destroyed', I still think PGSM Usagi will become Serenity one day, just to clarify that for a reference in the fic.

-

The girl sat in the back of her limousine, mulling over recent events, and those in the far flung past that nobody should have had the right to remember. She had never thought she would see the day when her princess married her prince. She'd believed the destruction of the world would occur first. Then again, she mused, that had been so. Less than an hour ago, she had bade farewell to her friends, those who had been by her side through the good and the bad, even if she had fought them every step…of…the…way…, "Stop!" she suddenly stated, leaning forward in her seat.

"You have a plane to catch!"

"I know that!" the aggravated voice belonged to Aino Minako, "I forgot something! We have to go back!"

"Aino-san, you'll miss the flight!" her driver protested.

"Not if we're quick! Turn round, now!" she ordered.

-

She was seated on the steps of her shrine when she heard footsteps up the path, making her scramble to her feet, out of her wedding finery and ready to appear the dutiful keeper of the sacred flame. Tomorrow she would leave to return to her studies, and somehow retain the part of her that had once been the soldier of flame. Rei's eyes widened as she recognised the figure, looking every bit the star she had become.

"I left the limo quite a way away, I hope you don't mind. I didn't think you'd appreciate any fuss being made."

Rei raised an eyebrow, "Trying to impress the locals?"

"You _are_ the locals," Minako shot back, trace of a smile on her face, "Mars Reiko-san," she shook her head, "We were driving…and…we ended up here…"

"Shocking."

"Yes."

The priestess frowned, "Shouldn't you be at an airport by now?"

"'Should' be and 'have to be' are different matters," Minako replied, wryly, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Rei shook her head, "No. I want to know why you're here."

"Can't a girl come see her friends?"

"…When you have a plane to catch you turn your limo around and head back here suddenly…that's more than enough to make me suspicious of your motives…"

A look that might well have been hurt crossed Minako's features, only for a moment, "You don't trust me?"

"I didn't say that," she shot back.

"Why are you acting so hostile?"

"Acting? That's your speciality, isn't it?"

"Mars-"

"_Venus_," Rei paused, "I suppose neither applies anymore. I never could get Venus or Minako to listen to me," she took several steps away from the idol, "If Mio hadn't tried anything, would you have got back here so quickly? Would you have appeared to help Usagi with her wedding? Or would you have just turned up on the day?"

"What's that got to do with-" Minako began.

"Everything!" she raised her voice, fists clenched at her sides, before she exhaled and managed to regain some composure, whirling back to face her companion, "You see, you get the chance to live again and you leave. I always wanted you to live as Minako, but not just as 'Aino Minako: Superstar'. Even when you're back with us, you're still _not here_."

"I _did not_ just leave!"

"How long were you here then? Six months? Long enough to ensure your music was selling before you left on your damned tour!"

Minako just stared at her for several seconds, unable to find the words, "…You mean…you wanted me to stay…?"

"…Th-That's not what I said…" she tried to take her words back.

"You wanted me to stay!"

Rei wouldn't look at her, "…Do you know what your death did to us…? To me…?" her voice was barely audible, "…Before…we thought…it was all going to be okay…in the end…we knew it wasn't over yet, but because we were together, we thought we could handle anything. Then you were gone. And it was left to us to keep it together on our own…" she looked back at Minako only to suddenly find herself enveloped in a tight, and unexpected, hug. Eyes wide, she tried to step back, only to have the girl increase the pressure.

Minako eventually stepped away, "There. _That_'s what I came back for."

"…I…you…_what?_" she babbled.

"Don't make me do it again…"

"You came all the way back here to-"

"It was the only way," she spoke as if it were Senshi duty, "You see, we fight, you get angry, I make you think I haven't listened to a word, and we both storm off," Minako shrugged, unable to suppress her smile, "Why break with tradition?"

"You listened to me?" Rei stared.

"I always listened to you. I just never let you see it."

She blushed, angry with herself for letting her feelings show, "…So what now?" she 'demanded'.

"Now I go step onto a plane. And think about how I wish I done things differently, both times around," Minako bluntly stated, "and when I've finished finding myself out there, I'll come back, and I'll be the friend you all deserve. I'll be the friend _you_ deserve."

Rei couldn't find her voice to reply and so just nodded.

The idol reached to touch her companion's shoulder before she turned to leave, "Be safe, Mars," she nodded in return and began to walk away.

Several seconds later, Rei found her voice again, "Mars is dead!" she shouted.

"And so is Venus!" Minako span round and laughed, as if it were a joke, "and if either of us truly believed _that_, we'd be happy with this boring existence!"

"You mean…"

"I mean one day Usagi's going to become someone more wonderful than she ever imagined! And she's going to need us!" she was still laughing.

"Did the past life tell you that?" Rei called after her.

"No! This life!" she whirled back round and kept walking, "You know," she raised her voice, "Sometimes I think you've really changed. But then, I know you'll always be my Mars!" the figure of Minako vanished through the trees, leaving the miko still staring after her.

Finding herself alone, Rei allowed herself a smile, "_…Past, present, and future."_

-

Fin


End file.
